Personality of The Week: Hermine Tomaino Ndam Njoya; CDU National President, Foumban Mayor.

However, the outcome of every democratic process is always the outplay of contributions from the strong, mighty and politically weak stakeholders. 

While those who emerge victorious draw strength from the process, those who lose, learn lessons and concede honourably, making leadership a true representation of the people’s wish.

Be it in the opposition or the ruling class, when the field of democracy begins to assume an unfavourable outlook, everyone loses. 

Little wonder, in some countries, there are people who see the opposition as enemies of the State. But far from that, everyone who through democracy strives for the good of society is indeed an asset of unstoppable standing.

In Cameroon, discussions around electoral issues have been heated for years. The uniqueness of these exchanges are hinged on the peculiarity of the 2025 poll. 

Thus, when the Head of State, Paul Biya, received New Year wishes recently, those who took part had different interests.

What has emerged as a defining moment of that event was Biya’s encounter with Hermine Patricia Tomaino Ndam Njoya, National President of the opposition Cameroon Democratic Union, CDU. 

She used the rare moment to get President Biya’s view on key concerns relating to the worries of the opposition and the civil society, affecting the nation’s electoral process.

She didn’t just end with the President’s reply but issued a statement this week, edifying public opinion on the pertinent issues he quizzed the Head of State on. 

Far from whether many are pleased with Biya’s responses or not, millions of citizens have not stopped taking interest in the Biya-Tomaino exchange.

Some are saying they are even more joyful that thanks to Tomaino Ndam Njoya, it is today clear to every Cameroonian that a proposal to amend the Electoral Code; submitted in November 2021, at the Presidency of the Republic, did not get to Biya!

In the lenses and reading of our readers, Hermin Tomaino Ndam Njoya has hit new heights in terms of public honour for taking the concerns of the people to the one who incarnates the State.

In the complex mix of political power play, our readers have stayed on her as Personality of The Week, the second for 2025. They have clothed her in glamorous honour for giving extra meaning to what a true opposition is supposed to be in a country.

Our readers say they find comfort in her actions, given the dwindling political fortunes of the opposition in the country. Tomaino Ndam Njoya, they assert, makes not only for a rare shooting star, beginning 2025 on a very high note of exceptional patriotism and political savvy, but for also staying on the path of truth.

For making herself a veritable vessel in the quest to strengthen the country’s political process, Tomaino Ndam Njoya, our readers say, merits her place as a queen in Cameroon’s political arena.

Many say she is an incisive democrat and genuine patriot of unequalled value. Others say she deserves cross-continental honour for making the difference as the most consistent and outstanding female political leader in Cameroon.

Those who hold strong to the view that politics affects every other aspect of national life, say Tomaino Ndam Njoya comes in gold this season for demonstrating a remarkable act of friendship. They say she is a unique personality who has refused to be ruined by praises.

Many say they would never forget and stop encouraging Tomaino Ndam Njoya for taking a major political concern to the Head of State without mincing words. 

Others say they find extraordinary wisdom and vision in her creative political ability to push for political reforms, no matter how hard it seems.

Your Personality of The Week is not just a successful nation builder but a paragon of hope, given her unrivalled courage in confronting the overwhelming odds in the nation’s democratic practice. For telling Biya what his cronies are hiding from him, admirers say Tomaino has proven that opposition is true friendship.

Yet, there are millions of others who are scoring Tomaino Ndam Njoya high on the integrity scale. This, they say, is for her a genuine achievement in the school of greatness for denying herself a window to make personal demands and rather put country first.

She is sitting in the glorious skies of Cameroon’s productive opposition for what enthusiasts are saying is her continuous toil to erode obstacles to real democracy.

Far from the nihilist in the corridors of politics, your Personality of The Week is being framed as a mature, positive and forward-looking inspirational character. 

For helping to let citizens know that the popular push for the reform of the Electoral Code has not reached the right quarter, Tomaino Ndam Njoya has been qualified as unstoppable political gladiator. 

She is an attractive ray of light that is penetrating rough quarters in the mix of a docile opposition. Tomaino Ndam Njoya has been raised to the spot of an irreplaceable pillar in the continuous effort and struggle to civilize Cameroonian democracy. 

Many are now attesting and rightly so that, your Personality of The Week is a rare testament of strength and growth in the most difficult of democratic settings.

The CDU national leader is also being situated as a political blemish remover of what is slowing Cameroon’s democratic process without scapegoating those in power. 

Her persistent interest in expanding public views about democracy, many say, is laden with an underlying selfless desire to put country first.

In the real measure of patriotism, the likes of Tomaino Ndam Njoya, our readers say, come first. Many say, she is among the few whose interest in politics is Cameroon and the wellbeing of Cameroonians. 

Your Personality of The Week is not self-seeking. She is in the league of Cameroon’s golden female politicians and has remained a relevant voice across decades with refreshing contributions to the democratic crusade.

Hermine Patricia Tomaino Ndam Njoya was born January 26, 1969, in Yaounde. She attended the Sultan Njoya High School in Foumban, Noun Division of the West Region. 

Your Personality of The Week later read law at the then University of Yaounde, bagging a bachelors and master’s degrees in public law. She has been in politics since 1991. She succeeded her late husband Adamu Ndam Njoya,m as leader of the CDU in 2020.

Beyond having served as Member of Parliament, MP, Tomaino Ndam Njoya is currently Mayor of Foumban Council.

She has been an active player in promoting the fight against HIV/AIDS.  Tomaino Ndam Njoya was a key figure in coordinating the Children Task Force at the World Conference of Religions for Peace, Hope For African Children Initiative.

Your Personality of The Week is also author of several publications. She is also into business and heads a private plantation in Koutie, Koutaba, in the West Region. 

Tomaino Ndam Njoya is also president of the Association of Cameroonian Women in Coffee, AFECC. She also heads the Gender Promotion Committee at the Agency for Robusta Coffee in Africa and Madagascar, ACRAM. 

At the National Assembly, she was once member of the Constitutional Laws Committee, Human Rights and Freedoms, Justice, Legislation, and Regulation.

Given the seeming deadlock and despair to reform the electoral process, her encounter with Biya and statement of this week, it is being said, will revive discussions on how the country can navigate a better political course. 

On this score, your Personality of The Week, has been saluted as a momentous political plug for today and the future.

This story was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3341 of Friday January 17, 2025